Maungdaw, Arakan State: Burma’s border security force (Nasaka) extorted Kyat 300,000 from a villager of Maungdaw Township on December 15, for allegedly buying housing land without giving the required information to Nasaka, said a close relative of the man, on condition of anonymity.
Sayed Akber (90), son of Boker, from Nari Bill Village, bought 0.25 acre from a villager to build a house at the end of November.
A group of Nasaka from Naribill Nasaka camp went to his village that night and arrested Sayed Akber over the allegation that he had bought a piece of land without properly informing the concerned authority. He was brought to the Nasaka camp where he was put into stocks.
However, the next evening, he was set free after paying Kyat 300,000, according to a local elder.
“It was not necessary to inform to the Nasaka authority, because the victim informed the village Chairman or Village Administration Officer and the land-surveying officer of the Township,” the source said.
Villagers said they hope they will be free from such harassment by authorities after the upcoming by-election of April 1st.
MPs Aung Zaw Win, a Rohingya MP, representing the USDP Party in the People's Parliament and U Htay Win, a Rohngya USDP member of the National Parliament, both representing Maungdaw Township, visited northern Arakan from Rangoon and assured the villagers that harassment by the Nasaka and the army will stop soon, according to a local businessman.
